Henry byron slater



H. B. SLATER. PROCESS OF MAKING- A LEACHING SOLUTION FOR EXTRACTION 0F METALS EROM THEIR ORES.

' IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII LY 2 8 I 9 I 5.

1,195,617. PaIentedAug. 22,1916.

Hen/y Byron cY/afer, 1 m4 .ITED STATES HENRY BYRON SLATER, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

PROCESS OF MAKING A LEACHIN G SOLUTION FOR EXTRACTION 0F METALS FROM THEIR ORES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY BYRON SLATER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Process of Making a Leaching Solution for Extraction of Metals from Their Ores, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the production of a solution containing chlorin in active of copper or otherform, for extraction metals from ores containing. same, and particularly to the production of a solution containing ferric. chlorid and sodium of suitable porous material, such as asbestos cloth and electrodes 3 and 4 suitably sup-. ported in the respective compartments 5 and 6 of said cell, on opposite sides of said diaphragm. Said electrodes may be of any suitable material, for example, carbon, and are connected to the wires 7 and 8 of a direct current supply circuit of suitable voltage.

My process consists essentially in subjecting a solution containing ferrous chlorid and sodium chlorid to electrolysis in the anode compartment of an electrolytic cell, until all the ferrous chlorid has been converted into ferric chlorid by the action of the chlorin set free at the anodeand then continuing the electrolysis until free chlorin and hypochlorous acid are produced in considerable amount, by the liberation .of a further amount of chlorin at the anode, and regulating or controlling the diffusive communication between the cathode and anode compartments, by means of the permeable diaphragm between said compartments, so as to produce the amount of hypochlorous acid Specification of'Letters Patent.

, chlorid, together with free chlorin and oxidation Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

Application filed July 28, 1915. Serial N 0. 42,342.

or chlorin oxidation product required for the leaching operation.

he process may be carried out as follows, in preparing a solution to be used for extraction of copper from its ores: A solution containing say one per cent. of ferrous chlorid,'and ten per cent. .of sodium chlorid, is passed into the anode compartment of the electrolytic cell, and any suitable solution placed in the cathode compartment, for example, a, ten per cent. solution of sodium chlorid. Current is then passed through the cell, with the result ,that'chlorin is set free at 'theanode by the electrolysis of the sodium chlorid, and sodium hydroxid is produced in the cathode compartment. The primary action of the chlorin set free in this manner is to convert the ferrous chlorid to ferric chlorid, and in processes of this nature it is usual to stop the electrolysis as soon as all of the ferrous chlorid has beenconverted in this manner to ferric present process, however, I continue the electrolysis after all of the ferrous chlorid has been converted to ferric chlorid, and thereby produce'.a solution containing, in addition to the ferric chlorid, a considerable amount of free chlorin and also containing a considerable amount of chlorin, and particularly hypochlorous acid, and the solution so produced is'of especial advantage in leaching certain kinds of ores, particularly ores containing copper sulfid.

In my Patent No. 1,066,855, dated July 8, 1913, a process was described in which hypochlorous acid was produced by electrolysis of chlorid. In my a similar solution in the anode compartment of an electrolytic cell by adding electrolytic products from the cathode compartment to the anode compartment after all of the ferrous chlorid was converted to ferric chlorid. According to my present invention the hypochlorous acid is produced by reaction of the chlorin set free at the anode, with substances present in the anode compartment itself and without addition of cathode products except may pass automatically -partment, by diffusion or by migration through the diaphragm from the cathode compartment. The present invention is, therefore, directed particularly to the proof oxidation products in so far as they to the anode com-' duction of hypochlorous acid the anode compartment by the operation of the'cell.

I have found that by subjecting a solution such as above described to electrolysis I I under the stated conditions taining a suitable permeability of the diaduce, by theaction of the liberated" chlorin in the anode compartment 011 substances and by mainphragm between the compartments of. the electrolytic cell, that it is possible to propresentin said compartment, including cathodeproducts diffusing through the die-- phragni",'suflicient amount of hypochlorous acid and other chlorin-oxidation products.

to render the resulting solution extremely effective as a leaching agent for extracting copper or other metals from ores thereof.

. be controlled or determined by. itsthickness,

or by the closeness of its texture, the diar phragm being constructed or formed so asto present the proper texture and thickness required to give the needed permeability, 1

without permitting such excessive passage of the cathode products, such as sodium. h droxid, to the anode compartment as wou df' result in interference with 'efiective electrol ysis.

One way in which -the.hypochlorous acid ions, present in said compartment, this reaction being represented by the following.-

anodecompartment, this reaction being rep! resented by the equation:

OH+C1=HC10 Another mode of formation of the hypo} chlorous acid is by the action on the anode solution, of sodium hydroxid diffusing thereinto from the cathode compartment,

this reaction being represented by the equations Th e amount to which these reactions may take place, particularly the reactions involvall: may be produced in the anode compartment is by reaction of'the free chlorin with the water, or with the hydrogen and hydroxyl permeability any required amount of hypochlorous acid may be obtained.

In order to further regulate or control 'the amount of hypochlorous acid produced 1 in theanode' compartment, so as, for example, to permit of further and closer regu'- lation during operation of the cell, I may compartments, the greater will be the rate of difiusion of sodium hydroxid through a diaphragm of given permeability, so thatby suitably modifying thesaid concentration The permeability of the diaphragm may* objects may be obtained by regulating the flow of sodium chlorid solution to the cathode compartment by a valved inlet 9 and regulating its outflow by a valved outlet 'l'0,"--an,d by: regulating the height. of f liquid inthe. anode-compartment b valved inlet'and outlet connections 11,-an 12-. In] place-of sodiumchlorid, any other ali metal vchlorid or alkaline earth metal chlorid may be used in thefl solution as a leaching agent-and asa source 0f.Chl0I1Il in the electrolyticoperation,-and the term sodium-chlorid" as-herein used includes'any of such equivalent chlorids. What I claim is: t

' 1. Theprocess of producing a "solution for extracting metals from their ores, "which consists in subjecting asolution of ferrous chlorid and sodium chlorid to. electrolysis in the anode compartment ofanelectrolytic cell; and simultaneously subjecting a solution of vsodium chlorid'to electrolysis in'the cathode compartment of such cell, maintaining separation of said 'compartmentsby a .diaphragm of sufficient permeability to enfable diffusion of cathode products from the '.cathode compartment to the anode compartment, and continuing electrolysis after all of the ferrous chlorid has been converted to ferric chlorid, so as to produce hypochlorous the anode compartment with cathode products diffusing from the IIlGl'Itn acid by reaction ofthe chlorin. set free in cathode compart 2. The process ofjpro'ducing; a leaching solution for extractingmetals from their ores, which consists in sub ecting a solution of ferrous chlorid and sodiumi chlorid to electrolysis in the anode compartment of an electrolytic cell, simultaneously subjecting a solution containing sodium chlorid to electrolysis in the cathode compartment of said cell, continuing the electrolysis until all the ferrous chlorid is converted to ferric chlorid, and then continuing the electrolysis so ,;'asto liberate. a further quantity of chlorin, and controlling the products of electrolysis by maintaining a diaphragm of such permeability between the compartments as to permit suflicient passage of cathode products to the anode compartment to produce, by re-'- action with the free chlorin therein chlorin oxidation products to the extent desired in the leach, and'further controlling the production of chlorin oxidation products by maintaining and regulating a hydrostatic head between said compartments. 3. The process of producing a' leachingsolution for extractingmetals from their ores, which consists in subjecting a-solution of ferrous chlorid and sodium chlorid to electrolysis in'the anode compartment of an electrolytic cell, simultaneously sub ecting a solution containing sodium chlorid to elec trolysis in-the cathode compartment of said cell, continuing the electrolysis until all the ferrous chlorid' is converted to ferric chlorid,

and then continuing the electrolysis so as to liberate a further quantity of chlorin, and

controlling the products of electrolysis by.-

maintaining a diaphragm of such perme li V ability between the compartments as to permit suflicient passage of cathode products to the anode compartment to produce,- b -reaction with the free chlorin-therein, ch orin, I oxidation products to the extent desired in the leach, and further'controlling the production of chlorin oxidation, by regulating the concentration of cathode products in the cathode compartment. V

In testimony whereof Ihave hereunto set my hand, at Los Angeles, Californimthis 21st day of $111 1915.

NRY BYRo SLALTER. 

